Scandal Maker, manufactured controversy, media ecology, post-truth, outrage economy, agenda-setting 1. Introduction In the classical model of scandal (Thompson, 2000), three roles exist: the transgressor, the victim, and the moralizing public. Missing from this triad is the architect . Enter the Scandal Maker — an individual or collective entity that does not merely expose hidden misconduct but actively constructs scandal where none inherently exists. From anonymous Twitter accounts leaking selectively edited footage to political operatives deploying “opposition research” as spectacle, the Scandal Maker has become a central, if under-theorized, figure in 21st-century communication.
This paper introduces and theorizes the concept of the Scandal Maker — distinct from the scandalous figure or the muckraking journalist. The Scandal Maker is an agent who deliberately engineers, amplifies, or fabricates controversies to achieve political, economic, or social influence. Drawing on case studies from digital media, celebrity culture, and political communication, this paper argues that the Scandal Maker thrives in attention economies where virality precedes veracity. We examine the mechanisms of scandal construction, the ethical implications of manufactured outrage, and the erosion of public trust as a byproduct. Ultimately, the Scandal Maker is not a deviation from modern media logic but its logical endpoint. Scandal Maker
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The Scandal Maker: Architect of Outrage in the Post-Truth Media Ecology Enter the Scandal Maker — an individual or